Afghanistan: Aid

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much financial aid they have given to projects in Helmand province in each of the last two financial years; how much they have given to projects in other provinces in Afghanistan; and whether they intend to alter the balance between them.

Lord Tunnicliffe: UK government financial assistance to Helmand, as with the rest of Afghanistan, comprises contributions from the Department for International Development (DfID), the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), the Afghanistan Drugs Interdepartmental Unit (ADIDU), and the tri-departmental Stabilisation Aid Fund (SAF). Helmand is a UK priority because success there is vital to Afghanistan's future. It is Afghanistan's largest province; its political influence within the Pashtun heartland is central to the future, either of a political settlement or of the insurgency, and it lies at the core of the narcotics trade.
	The reason for the increase in funding to Helmand in 2008-09 is the introduction of the SAF, which by design focuses primarily on stabilisation activities. Final decisions on the future split of resources between Helmand and the rest of Afghanistan have yet to be made, though we expect to maintain a similar balance.
	
		
			 UK financial aid to Afghanistan 2006-07 2007-08 
			 in Helmand (£ million) 22.1 20.37 
			 in the rest of Afghanistan  (£ million) 149.43 168.07

Afghanistan: Provincial Reconstruction Teams

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government following their recent review of development policy, what assessment they have made of the role of provincial reconstruction teams in development projects in Afghanistan.

Lord Tunnicliffe: Provincial reconstruction teams (PRTs) operate under International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) direction across Afghanistan, and are interim institutions designed to help extend the reach of the Afghan Government, improve security, and facilitate stabilisation and governance work. Most provinces in Afghanistan remain fragile. PRTs allow stabilisation and development work to take place where a lack of security prevents development agencies and the Government of Afghanistan from operating independently.
	In Helmand, the UK-led PRT is helping to focus civilian and military activity on supporting provincial governance and stabilising the principal population centres, which is a critical basis for longer-term development. The UK continues to discuss the role and future of PRTs regularly with the Afghan Government, ISAF, UNAMA, other donors, and civil society groups. Afghan government and UNAMA co-ordination on security, stabilisation and development issues has improved in recent months and this will help in setting exit strategies for PRTs, about which a public debate has not yet begun.

Armed Forces: Snatch Land Rover

Lord Ashcroft: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the adequacy of the protection afforded by Snatch Land Rovers to United Kingdom troops serving in Afghanistan.

Baroness Taylor of Bolton: I refer the noble Lord to the Written Statement made on 16 December 2008 (Official Report, cols. WS 105-06).

Benefits: Disability

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: To ask Her Majesty's Government how people with fluctuating conditions such as multiple sclerosis are assessed for disability-related expenditure; and whether this expenditure is modified in the event of new or aggravated symptoms.

Lord Darzi of Denham: The Fairer Access to Care Services (FACS) guidance sets out how councils should assess an individual's needs; they should assess the person's wider needs (including their potential needs), and make specialist assessments of particular needs, where required. The assessment should be rounded and person-centred to lead to appropriate eligibility decisions and services provided that promote independence. Professionals need to explore the intensity of particular needs and instability and predictability of problems from day to day or over longer periods of time. The FACS should be followed whether or not the person being assessed is likely to receive services provided by the local council or through direct payments. A copy of the guidance has been placed in the Library.
	It is important that the needs-led focus of assessment is retained. Those on direct payments are able to pay for services when they need them. The flexibility inherent in direct payments means that individuals can adjust the amount they use each week and "bank" any remaining funds until the extra needs arise. The local councils are also able to set up procedures for making additional payments in emergencies—for example, when symptoms are aggravated.
	The National Assistance Act 1948 sets out the framework within which local authorities may decide what people can afford to contribute. Capital assets and income have always been taken into account in making this assessment. Charging for non-residential social services is discretionary. It is for councils to decide on whether and how to set charges. The legal basis is that charges generally should be reasonable, and that no one should be asked to pay more than they reasonably can. The guidance aims to ensure in particular that service users on low incomes are protected from charging and that any charges levied on disability benefits are subject to an assessment of the costs to service users of coping with disability, to ensure their reasonableness.

Charities: Fraud

Lord Morris of Manchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what level of proof should be required in the case of alleged fraud within a charity before an investigation is made into the allegation by the Charity Commission; and at what stage the chairman of the commission would involve the police.

Lord Patel of Bradford: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Charity Commission. I have asked the commission to reply.
	Letter from Andrew Hind, Chief Executive, to Lord Morris of Manchester, dated 12 December 2008
	As the chief executive of the Charity Commission, I have been asked to respond to your written Parliamentary Question on allegations of fraud within charities.
	Any allegation of fraud or other financial abuse involving a charity is a matter of serious concern to the commission. An allegation of that nature will be given immediate attention and we will quickly assess what is the most appropriate action to take. That will depend on the facts of each case.
	This process will usually include us needing to validate and verify the reliability and credibility of the concerns, including the allegations and any evidence produced, along with the source of the concerns. We also consider previous commission involvement, and scrutinise information held by us. We liaise with other regulators, law enforcement and other agencies. I hope that I can reassure you by confirming that if it is clear straight away that there is cause to suspect a crime may have taken place, the commission would immediately contact the police. if further evidence emerges during our engagement with the charity, we would again not hesitate to contact the police.
	The commission has published a Risk and Proportionality Framework for our compliance work, which is publicly available on our website, www.charitycommission.gov.uk, and explains the commission's approach and sets out the criteria it uses to decide whether to investigate a case further. I will arrange for a copy of this to be placed in the Library of the House.
	I hope this is helpful.

Courts Service: Budgets

Lord Thomas of Gresford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect of reductions in the budget of Her Majesty's Courts Service (HMCS) on (a) the number of courts; (b) the number of court staff; (c) the number of consultants used by HMCS; (d) the number of agency staff used by HMCS; and (e) the service to the public provided by HMCS in each year of the forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect on the budget of Her Majesty's Court Service of (a) recent increases in family court fees; (b) reductions in the number of tax prosecutions; and (c) the Service's modernising money programme.

Lord Bach: It has been clear since the publication of the MoJ's CSR07 settlement that the department and its constituent bodies, including HMCS, would have to reduce previously planned budgets. The efficiency savings plan for the MoJ for 2008-09 is under way and HMCS is committed to delivering its contribution to the MoJ savings plan.
	We are developing over the next few months the performance and efficiency plan for the MOJ and its constituent bodies, including HMCS, to cover 2009-10. When that plan is agreed for 2009-10 we will be in a position to inform Parliament of the impact on the MoJ, including HMCS.
	The judiciary is engaged in discussion of HMCS resources under the terms of the HMCS framework and the concordat between the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Chief Justice.
	We expect there to be a reduction in headcount in HMCS parts of the MoJ but we expect a large part of that to come from reductions in agency staff and contractors. Exact numbers will only be available once we have completed our planning exercise. We have started discussions with the trade unions on this and will continue to involve them as our plans develop.
	We will aim to better match courts work to the changing pattern of demand and do not have any current plans to close courts.
	The HMCS budget includes an estimate of £28 million as additional income expected as a result of the increases in family court fees on 1 May 2008.
	HMRC has changed the focus of its enforcement activity and is targeting higher value cases. This has resulted in a reduction in the expected volume of claims from that source. It is not possible to quantify the exact impact this will have on HMCS at this stage.
	The modernising money handling project is currently piloting its processes within six court areas. Benefits targeted include reduced headcount for processing payments, economies of scale arising from implementing national supply agreements and further reductions in cash collection costs. The financial impact of these benefits will be measured once the pilots are completed.

Crown Prosecution Service

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (a) men and (b) women are employed in the Crown Prosecution Service.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: As of 4 December 2008, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) employs 2,942 men and 5,990 women.

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (a) permanent, and (b) non-permanent, staff are employed by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: A total of 396 permanent staff and 13 non-permanent staff are employed by the commission. The commission is currently actively recruiting to fill 35 posts. It has had to allow some flexibility within its staffing structure to leave options open for staff of the antecedent commissions (the Commission for Racial Equality, the Equal Opportunities Commission and the Disability Rights Commission) who are still in a matching process for jobs in the EHRC.

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by the Lord President (Baroness Royall of Blaisdon) on 20 November (WA 224), how many of the Equality and Human Rights Commission staff have not accepted their terms and conditions of employment.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: Only one member of staff has expressly stated that they will not be accepting the new terms and conditions offered by the commission, irrespective of any resolution to queries raised. A total of 63 members of staff are yet to return their new terms and conditions. This is due to a variety of reasons including timing in relation to job matching appeals, and individuals being absent on maternity, sick leave or secondment. The response rate is steady and continuing and it is anticipated that the number of non-respondents will reduce further.

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government in the light of its mission statement, why the Equality and Human Rights Commission implements the national default retirement age for its staff.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The commission allows all staff to request the right to continue working beyond age 65. Any reference to age 65 in commission documentation is to provide a point in time reference which is necessary for pension purposes.

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what marketing, advertising or information campaigns have been undertaken by the Equality and Human Rights Commission; and whether the commission intends to conduct any research into (a) public knowledge of its service, (b) public knowledge of its whereabouts, and (c) customer satisfaction.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: Since October 2007, the commission has undertaken a variety of communications campaigns covering the three categories:
	Equally Different—this project was designed to raise awareness of the commission and its remit, and to inform people of their rights. The commission is particularly proud of its publications Who We Are and What We Do (a guide introducing and explaining what the commission can do to help) and Ours to Own (a short guide explaining what human rights are and how they are relevant to everyone in society);Working Better—this initiative aims to identify and promote innovative ways of working to meet the challenges of the 21st century;Human Rights—the commission is carrying out an inquiry to find out how human rights work in Britain. This is a broad-reaching project which will engage both stakeholders and the public at a number of levels;Modern Multiculturalism—this campaign aims to articulate and promote the commission's vision for a fresh approach to multiculturalism in modern Britain. The commission hopes to develop the debate on issues of identity and citizenship and how they relate to equality and human rights;Flying Rights for Disabled People—this programme helps disabled people understand more about their rights. Under European law, as of 26 July 2008, if you are disabled or have difficulty moving around, you have improved rights to assistance when you fly to and from Europe; andOur Space—the commission teamed up with Skill Force to launch Our Space, a weeklong residential programme for 14 and 15 year-olds in the Lake District.
	The commission has an ongoing programme to help it understand public perceptions, knowledge and customer satisfaction in relation to the commission. As part of this the commission conducted a national opinion poll survey in October 2007 which ascertained public perceptions of the commission and its remit and opinions about human rights more generally. This research underpinned the Equally Different campaign referred to above. The commission is currently developing further plans in this area.

Fluoridation

Earl Baldwin of Bewdley: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 17 November (WA 165), whether they have received legal advice indicating that fluoridation schemes do not form part of the health services which the Secretary of State has a duty to promote; and if so, whether that legal advice took account of (a) the health claims for water fluoridation contained in the Written Answer, (b) the decision-making role of Strategic Health Authorities under the Water Act 2003, and (c) the promotion of fluoridation by the Secretary of State for Health in an announcement on 5 February 2008.

Lord Darzi of Denham: I can confirm that these matters were taken into account. Fluoridation of water supplies is an activity or service undertaken by a water undertaker under the Water Industry Act 1991. It has been the policy of successive Governments that decisions on fluoridation should be taken locally. However, the role undertaken by strategic health authorities does not serve to bring fluoridation within the ambit of the duty in Section 1 of the National Health Service Act.

Fluoridation

Earl Baldwin of Bewdley: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 17 November (WA 166), whether water undertakers in fluoridating water supplies under the Water Act 2003 act as agents of the Strategic Health Authorities concerned; whether water undertakers bear any costs of fluoridation; and whether they bear any legal responsibility in the event of successful health claims by the public.

Lord Darzi of Denham: Strategic health authorities (SHAs) contract with water undertakers to fluoridate their water supplies. The SHAs bear the full costs of fluoridating the water and my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Health indemnifies the water undertakers for any liabilities arising from fluoridation except where they relate to a criminal offence or fraud or other deliberate wrongdoing, fraud or negligence on the part of an undertaker.

Food: Labelling

Lord Tebbit: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether fruit not grown in the United Kingdom may bear labels with the Union flag on when offered for sale.

Lord Darzi of Denham: Food law makes it an offence to mislead the consumer as to the origin of food. Therefore, imported fresh fruit should not bear the union flag, as it may imply the fruit is grown in the United Kingdom.

Genetically Modified Crops

The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government in the light of their statements about the safety of genetically modified crops, what assessment they have made of the paper by Velmirov A, Binter C and Zentek J (2008) entitled Biological effects of transgenic maize NK603xMON810 fed in long term reproduction studies in mice, which found that genetically modified maize damages reproductive function; and what action they will take in the light of its findings.

Lord Darzi of Denham: This report was published, prior to peer review, by the Austrian Ministries for Health and Agriculture on 12 November 2008 and was examined by the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes when it met on 20 November. The committee advised that the publication is not sufficiently detailed to draw any conclusions about the implications of this research for the safety of food or feed derived from NK603xMON810 maize and it identified a number of technical questions related to the research. The European Food Safety Authority's (EFSA) Genetically Modified Organism Panel scrutinised this report when it met on 3 and 4 December and has published a statement, which also advises that no conclusions can be drawn from this report. The EFSA panel has highlighted inconsistencies and uncertainties in the reporting of the part of the research that is claimed to show an effect on reproductive function.

Genetically Modified Crops

The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government in the light of their statements about the safety of genetically modified crops, what assessment they have made of the paper by Finamore A, Roselli M, Britti S, Monastra G, Ambra R, Turrini A and Mengheri E (2008) entitled Intestinal and peripheral immune response to MON810 maize ingestion in weaning and old mice (published in J Agric Food Chem on 16 November 2008), which examined disturbances in the immune system of young and old mice; and what measures they propose in the light of its findings.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government in the light of their statements about the safety of genetically modified crops, what assessment they have made of the paper by A Kilic and M T Akay (2008) entitled A three generation study with genetically modified corn in rats: Biochemical and histopathological investigation (published in Food Chem. Toxicol. 46(3): 1164—70), which showed that rats fed with MON810 suffered kidney and liver damage; and what measures they propose in the light of its findings.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government in the light of their statements about the safety of genetically modified crops, what assessment they have made of the paper by Manuela Malatesta, Fredrica Boraldi, Guilia Annovi, Beatrice Baldelli, Serafina Battistelli, Marco Biggiogera, and Daniela Quaglino (2008) entitled A long term study on female mice fed on a genetically modified soybean: effects on liver ageing (published in Histochem Cell Biol. on 22 July 2008: 18648843), which examined the effect of genetically modified soy on metabolic rates and the speed of the ageing process; and what measures they propose in the light of its findings.

Lord Darzi of Denham: Officials in the Food Standards Agency are aware of the research reported in these publications and will be seeking advice from the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes on the implications.

Gulf War Illnesses

Lord Morris of Manchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answers by Baroness Taylor of Bolton on 25 November (WA 284), how much the Medical Research Council spent in total in conducting its review of relevant Gulf War veterans' research, including both United Kingdom and overseas studies; how much of the cost was funded by the Ministry of Defence; and who undertook the review for the council.

Lord Drayson: In 2003 the Medical Research Council asked the Military Health Research Advisory Group (MHRAG) to undertake a comprehensive review of relevant Gulf research. The review made a number of recommendations on where future research might focus and provided additional advice to the Ministry of Defence.
	The MRC met the costs of the 2003 review, which are estimated to have been between £20,000 and £25,000. The main costs were MRC staff time, travel and hotel costs for the non-MRC staff involved, and administration. The Ministry of Defence reimbursed the MRC with approximately £17,000 for the travel and hotel costs.

Gulf War Illnesses

Lord Craig of Radley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to respond to the scientific findings and recommendations of the United States Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses, published in November 2008; and, if so, when.

Baroness Taylor of Bolton: We are now assessing carefully the US report following its publication on 17 November. We note that the US Department of Veterans Affairs has sent the report to the Institute of Medicine for review and we will await the outcome of this process before making any comments on the report.

Gulf War Illnesses

Lord Tyler: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they intend to further their focus on improving the long-term health of Gulf War veterans, following their initial response to the report of the Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses, mandated by the United States Congress and published on 17 November.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to respond in detail to the findings of the Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses, mandated by the United States Congress and published on 17 November, with particular reference to new policy for research and redress for United Kingdom veterans affected.

Baroness Taylor of Bolton: We are now carefully assessing the US report following its publication on 17 November. We note that the US Department of Veterans Affairs has sent the report to the Institute of Medicine for review and we will await the outcome of this process before making any comments on the report. In 2003 the Medical Research Council (MRC) undertook a comprehensive review of relevant Gulf veterans' research, including both UK and overseas studies. The key recommendation of the review was that future studies should focus on improving the long-term health of Gulf veterans with persisting symptoms. The focus of our research effort is therefore to identify suitable rehabilitative interventions for those veterans and a contract has been awarded to a group at Cardiff University, acknowledged experts in this field. Benefits are available to eligible veterans and dependants through MoD war pension and Armed Forces occupational pension schemes.

Health: ADHD

Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to implement the recent National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence recommendations on the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether attention deficit hyperactivity disorder services are adequate to meet the requirements of sufferers and their families.

Lord Darzi of Denham: In September 2008, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published its clinical guideline on Diagnosis and Management of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Children, Young People and Adults. As part of this guidance to the National Health Service, NICE also published implementation advice.
	This advice considers implementation issues that are specific to the guideline on ADHD. It aims to provide practical advice to help those responsible for planning and implementing the guideline. It will help implementers identify recommendations in the guideline that are not part of current practice, and suggests actions to be taken.
	The independent review of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), commissioned by the Secretaries of State for Health and for Children, Schools and Families, considered how to address current challenges and deliver better outcomes for all children and young people with mental health problems, including those with ADHD. The final report of the CAMHS review was published on 18 November 2008 and a copy has been placed in the Library, together with the government response.
	No assessment has been made of the adequacy of ADHD services for adults. Diagnosis and treatment are matters for local determination and primary care trusts are expected to adhere to NICE guidance.

Health: ADHD

Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many prisoners in the past five years suffered from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Lord Darzi of Denham: This information is not held centrally and would not be collected regionally either. To collect it would involve contacting all primary care trusts (PCTs) and 138 prisons. Individual conditions such as these would be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. PCTs are responsible for ensuring that appropriate services are commissioned to meet the needs of their community, including any prisons in their catchment area. Anyone presenting with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder would be assessed and treated according to NHS guidelines.

Health: Clinical Physiology

Baroness Hanham: To ask Her Majesty's Government when a statutory system of regulation of clinical physiologists will be operational.

Lord Darzi of Denham: All matters relating to the regulation of clinical physiologists will be resolved as part of a separate consultation on proposals for the regulation of the roles described in The Futureof the Healthcare Science Workforce—Modernising Scientific Careers—The Next Steps: AConsultation published on 26 November 2008, as healthcare scientist practitioner (HCSP) and healthcare scientist (HCS).
	Consultation plans will be announced, in due course.

Health: Diabetes

Lord Harrison: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 17 November (WA 167), what guidance will be given to general practitioners administering vascular checks on which tests to select and under what circumstances they should be used, so that patients with appropriate, established risk factors are tested for diabetes; and how the quality of the general practitioners' decision-making will be monitored.

Lord Darzi of Denham: Vascular checks will be offered to everyone between the ages of 40 and 74 who have no existing, diagnosed vascular disease. Each component of the risk assessment element of the vascular check will be specified nationally. The Vascular Checks: Risk Assessment and Management: Next Steps Guidance, published on 13 November, provides details of these. A copy has already been placed in the Library.
	Current National Screening Committee advice is that it is not clinically and cost-effective to offer diabetes screening to the whole population. However, it has recommended that screening certain subgroups of the population who are at high risk of type 2 diabetes is feasible, but that it should be undertaken as part of an integrated programme to detect and manage cardiovascular risk factors.
	As part of the commissioning process, primary care trusts will be responsible for ensuring that those they commission to deliver the vascular checks programme do so in accordance with their contractual obligations. This should include ensuring those conducting the checks do so in accordance with agreed standard operating procedures to assure the quality and consistency of the vascular check. The department will be issuing guidance in the new year on the standard operating procedures for conducting the vascular check.

Health: Diabetes

Lord Harrison: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 17 November (WA 168), when the External Quality Assurance process will produce its first reports; what form these reports will take; and how the information will be used by the national clinical director for diabetes and the key stakeholders to improve services.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 17 November (WA 168), whether there will be an additional section in the annual report on the national screening programme for diabetic retinopathy covering management of the patient's blood sugar and blood pressure by their general practitioner.

Lord Darzi of Denham: The national screening programme (NSP) for sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy produces peer-review reports following each external quality assurance visit. These make an assessment against the service objectives and quality assurance standards for the programme. The reports are shared with key stakeholders including local commissioners so that action can be taken to ensure that errors are dealt with competently and sensitively and professionals and organisations can make year-on-year improvements in service. The NSP is in regular contact with the national clinical director so that any appropriate action can be taken at national level to improve service.
	The NSP does not currently collect information on management of the patient's blood sugar and blood pressure by their general practitioner to include in the annual report. After a patient has been screened, a report is sent to the health professional managing the patient's diabetes care. Advice is given in information leaflets to both patients and to health professionals about the importance of managing blood sugar and blood pressure levels, and the quality and outcomes framework rewards general practitioners for measuring and improving these levels.

Health: Neuromuscular Conditions

Lord Walton of Detchant: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will review the cross-border commissioning arrangements for specialised neuromuscular services in England and Wales to ensure that people with rare and very rare conditions can receive a prompt and accurate diagnosis.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will review commissioning arrangements for specialised neuromuscular services in England and Wales in view of the evidence from the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign about the effect on life expectancy and quality of life of poor health care provided for some people with rare and very rare conditions.

Lord Darzi of Denham: We have no current plans to review commissioning arrangements between England and Wales for specialised neuromuscular services. We may need to look at broader arrangements for the cross-border commissioning of specialised services in the light of consultation and publication of Delivering the New NHS for Wales.
	The national specialised commissioning team has been involved in ongoing discussions with the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign (MDC) about these issues over the past 12 months and has brought the MDC's concerns to the attention of specialised commissioning groups in England.

Health: Neuromuscular Conditions

Lord Walton of Detchant: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Health Commission Wales regarding the funding of diagnostic tests at recognised specialist centres in England for Welsh patients with rare and very rare neuromuscular conditions.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Health Commission Wales regarding the funding of specialised physiotherapy services for patients in Wales with neuromuscular conditions to enable them to access services in England.

Lord Darzi of Denham: Representatives of the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign met the Minister of State for Health on 18 November 2008 and raised these issues. As a result of that meeting, officials of the national specialised commissioning group were asked to take action with their opposite numbers at Health Commission Wales to identify and resolve any difficulties relating to the access of Welsh residents to English specialised services for rare neuromuscular disorders. These discussions are currently taking place.

Inflation

Lord Dykes: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they will hold with the Bank of England on countering any future rise in inflation resulting from any reduction in the base rate.

Lord Myners: Interest rates are set by the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of England, to meet the Government's inflation target of 2 per cent, as measured by the 12-month increase in the consumer price index.
	It is not the Government's policy to comment on or have input into individual interest-rate decisions taken by the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England. To do so would compromise the arrangements for independence of the Bank of England that the Government put in place in 1997 and would squander the credibility gains that have resulted from those arrangements.

Israel and Palestine: Gaza Sewage

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate has been made of the amount of sewage flowing into the sea from Gaza.

Lord Tunnicliffe: The Coastal Municipalities Water Utility (CMWU)—the relevant Palestinian body—reports that at least 70 million litres of raw and partially treated sewage flows into the Mediterranean each day.

Israel and Palestine: Gaza Sewage

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what measurements are being made of the damage to the eco systems in the Mediterranean from sewage discharge from Gaza.

Lord Tunnicliffe: Monitoring of the quality of water in the Mediterranean is co-ordinated through the UN MEDPOL programme. MEDPOL assesses the state of the environment in hot spots and coastal areas and monitors the impact of remedial actions. It aims to improve control of pollution through national and international regulations. A baseline survey of pollution from land-based sources in Gaza was published in 2003. The security situation has meant that there is little ongoing monitoring but the situation has likely worsened since 2003.

Israel and Palestine: Gaza Sewage

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the World Health Organisation about threats to health from eating fish caught in the waters off Gaza.

Lord Tunnicliffe: We are in regular contact with the agencies involved in water and sanitation issues in Gaza. These are the Palestinian Coastal Municipalities Water Utility (CMWU); the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), which leads the water and sanitation sector; the World Health Organisation (WHO); and the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Both WHO and UNRWA monitor sea-water quality in Gaza. WHO took sea-water samples during the summer and issued a recommendation that molluscs and raw fish caught in Gazan waters should not be eaten and has issued guidance against entering the sea close to the sewage outlets. We do not know if this advice is being followed by the Gazan population.

Israel and Palestine: Gaza Sewage

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimates have been made of disease from raw sewage in Gaza.

Lord Tunnicliffe: The World Health Organization (WHO) informs us that there are no reliable data available on the impact of raw sewage on health in Gaza but does report that sea water in several areas of the Gaza coastline is polluted. It has advised against eating raw fish caught in Gazan waters and against entering the sea near sewage outlets.

Israel and Palestine: Gaza Sewage

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps are being taken to repair sewage systems in Gaza.

Lord Tunnicliffe: The lifting of restrictions on spare parts and other material is needed to repair the sewage system in Gaza. On this, the Government fully support the efforts of the quartet representative, Tony Blair, to negotiate with Israel on getting vital equipment and other supplies into Gaza to repair waste water treatment plants.
	On 13 May, Tony Blair published a list of confidence-building measures agreed with the Israelis and the Palestinians. This included the facilitation of the first phase of the North Gaza emergency sewage treatment plant, which has now been completed. The entry of spare parts and maintenance equipment for other sewage treatment plants, also raised in the May package, has not moved forward. Tony Blair continues to negotiate access for these items with the Israeli authorities.

Israel and Palestine: Gaza Sewage

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Government of Israel about allowing building materials into the Gaza strip for the repair of sewage systems in Gaza.

Lord Tunnicliffe: The Government continue to express their concern about the current border restrictions in Gaza and urge the Israeli Government to improve the access for humanitarian supplies, commercial goods and people. On building materials specifically, we most recently raised our concerns on 13 November with the Israeli Ministry of Defence.

Kenya

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they are giving to strengthening the Kenya National Assembly and improving accountability in Kenya; and by what means.

Lord Tunnicliffe: The UK Government have been supporting the Kenyan National Assembly for two years, primarily through support from the State University of New York. Work has focused on improved institutional independence and greater oversight of the Executive.
	The Department for International Development's (DfID) support to the reform of Parliament has improved accountability by:
	ensuring that parliamentary business, including the work of committees, is open to the public;introducing direct public petitions from members of the public;increasing the number of parliamentary committees to ensure that all expenditures in the various sectors of government are subject to closer scrutiny by Parliament;establishing a new implementation committee responsible for scrutinising whether all resolutions by Parliament have been implemented by the Executive;establishing a budget committee and budget office to ensure Parliament is involved much more closely in the national budget-making process;creating a Parliamentary Service Commission with departments for research, budget control, information and management, considerably empowering MPs to do a higher quality job; andpublishing a strategic plan for Parliament 2008-18.
	In addition, DfID has recently approved funds for the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, to provide support to the newly created Parliamentary Broadcasting Unit, with the intention of assisting the Speaker in making Parliament more accessible to the public. This includes the live broadcast of Parliament as well as a weekly Prime Minister's question time.

Kenya: HIV/AIDS

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the international campaign against HIV/AIDS in Kenya, in particular its funding and effect on HIV/AIDS prevalence levels; and what steps they have taken in that regard.

Lord Tunnicliffe: The international campaign against HIV/AIDS in Kenya has enabled 250,000 people to receive AIDS treatment, up from 5,000 people on anti-retroviral therapy four years ago.
	The United States Government provide three-quarters of the money available, much of it on AIDS care and treatment. The UK Government have funded £10 million per year over the past six years and concentrated on prevention and orphan support. Prevention activities have focused on high-risk groups such as fishing communities and young adults, using innovative behaviour change interventions such as community theatre and radio soap operas.
	HIV/AIDS prevalence levels have reduced over the last 10 years from over 10 per cent to 7.8 per cent. The Department for International Development's (DfID) condom social marketing project has contributed to this through the distribution of 30 million condoms per year, resulting in an estimated 85,000 AIDS cases averted since 2003.
	DfID has taken a number of steps to strengthen the international campaign against HIV and AIDS in Kenya:
	DfID approved a £40 million AIDS programme in April 2008. This is focusing on HIV/AIDS prevention and harmonisation of resources, including the expansion of the condom social marketing project; and DfID works with other bilateral and multilateral agencies in Kenya to strengthen management of the Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM) to increase the predictability of funding through this channel.

Light Pollution

Lord Hanningfield: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage local authorities (a) to explore options to reduce the hours of operation of street lights; and (b) to measure the consequential impact on carbon dioxide emissions.

Lord Adonis: It is for each local highway authority to decide what level of service they wish their street lighting network to deliver. Decisions on reducing the hours of operation will need to take into account the reasons for which the lighting is provided. Any reduction in energy use would have to be balanced against potential adverse effects.
	Where local authorities are considering reducing operating hours, the Government encourage them to consider the issues in Invest to Save, produced by the government-supported UK Lighting Board and the Institution of Lighting Engineers (available from www.ile.org.uk). The Government also support the Carbon Trust's local authority carbon management programme, which provides councils with support and guidance to help them realise carbon emissions savings from street lighting.
	The level of carbon emissions from a local authority's street-lighting service will depend on a number of factors such as the source of the electricity, the technology of the street lighting and the design of the local authority street-lighting network. We are not aware of any tools which allow the consequential impact on carbon emissions of local authority street lighting to be effectively measured.

Local Government: Future Unitary Structures

Lord Wade of Chorlton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will place in the Library of the House the detailed design for the six-year research project on new unitary and pathfinder councils, the contract for which was awarded in June.

Baroness Andrews: I have deposited a paper setting out the form and function evaluation design in the Library of the House.

Local Government: Future Unitary Structures

Lord Wade of Chorlton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what account is taken of the off-setting costs in stating annual savings for new unitary and pathfinder councils.

Baroness Andrews: The stated savings of over £100 million per annum expected from the new unitary councils once they are fully up and running are net of any ongoing restructuring costs.

Mental Health: Ethnic Minorities

Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they will take regarding the trend of the number of African and Caribbean individuals admitted to mental hospitals each year, as detailed in the fourth national census of the ethnicity of patients in the National Health Service and independent mental health and learning disability hospitals in England and Wales.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government in the light of the participation rates of African and Caribbean individuals in the mental health system, what assessment they have made of claims that the mental health system is institutionally racist and in need of action to end any such discrimination.

Lord Darzi of Denham: There is consistent evidence of inequality in the mental health of black and minority-ethnic (BME) communities, especially in the incidence of severe mental illness. For example, the 2006 Aetiology and Ethnicity in Schizophrenia and Other Psychoses (AESOP)study indicates that, compared with the white British population, people from African-Caribbean communities are nine times more likely to experience schizophrenia and eight times more likely to experience manic psychosis; people from black African communities are six times more likely to experience either condition; and other BME groups have more modestly increased rates. The AESOP findings apply across the adult age range and for both women and men. The rates of psychosis in Africa and the Caribbean are comparable to those in the United Kingdom overall. The reasons for this are still not fully understood, but this suggests that recognised risk factors for mental illness, including poor housing, unemployment, social exclusion and the experience of racism itself are still burdens borne disproportionately in the UK by BME populations and are contributing to an increased incidence of mental ill health.
	In 2005 the department launched Delivering Race Equality in Mental Health Care (DRE), a five-year action plan designed to improve BME communities' experience of mental health services, and to address the apparent inequalities in the incidence of severe mental illness between ethnic groups in England. There has been significant progress. For example, the DRE programme has helped to develop replicable good practice around tailored pathways of care for BME service users; new training in race equality for mental health staff has been tested successfully and made available nationally; pilot projects of the programme improving access to psychological therapies have demonstrated that BME communities can have equal access to, and equal outcomes from, the new services; and primary care trusts have so far recruited over 400 new community development workers, whose role is to build links between local BME communities and mental health services and to help communities play a part in planning and providing those services. We do, though, believe that the National Health Service still must do more to meet the needs of increasingly diverse local populations, particularly by delivering early and equitable access to effective community-based interventions.
	These issues will stay a priority for services for the duration of the DRE programme and beyond. We do not believe that institutional racism is a helpful label to apply—the solutions lie in the hands of individuals, not just institutions. We have been open and honest about the problems in mental health care and how we intend to tackle them.

Northern Ireland Office: Staff

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the gender balance of those employed in the Northern Ireland Office.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: Within the Northern Ireland Office, 2,067 staff were employed in November 2008. The gender breakdown was 1,281 female and 786 male.

Northern Ireland Office: Staff

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the religious balance of staff in the Northern Ireland Office.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: In compliance with the Fair Employment and Treatment (NI) Order 1998 monitoring regulations, all Northern Ireland Office staff working in Northern Ireland, both home civil servants and Northern Ireland civil servants, are monitored for community background. The department also has a small number of staff working in London whose community background is not monitored.
	As at 1 October 2008, the NIO core department and its agencies comprises 2,091 staff, of whom 49 are based in London. Of the 2,042 staff in Northern Ireland, 1,278 (62.6 per cent) are Protestant and 690 (33.8 per cent) are Roman Catholic, while the community background of 74 (3.6 per cent) is not determined.

Northern Ireland Parades Commission

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much was paid to each of the board members of the Northern Ireland Parades Commission in each financial year since its creation; and how much they were contracted for during that period.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The annual remuneration paid to each member of the Northern Ireland Parades Commission since its establishment is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Date Chairman Member 
			 19.02.2000—31.12.2002 £50,400 £26,000 
			 01.01.2003—31.12.2005 £54,154 £27,936 
			 01.01.2006—31.03.2007 £53,000 £19,000 
			 01.04.2007—31.03.2008 £54,219 £19,437 
			 01.04.2008—to date £55,466 £19,884

Northern Ireland: Human Rights Commission

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by the Lord President (Baroness Royall of Blaisdon) on 14 November (WA 155-56) concerning the membership of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, what is the basis for saying that the Secretary of State has complied with the obligation to secure, so far as practical, that the commissioners as a group are representative of the community in Northern Ireland; who made the judgment that he had so complied; and when this judgment was reached.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The noble Lord will recall he asked this Question in the last Session. I have nothing further to add to my reply that stated:
	Under the Northern Ireland Act 1998 the Secretary of State is obliged, when making appointments to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, to secure so far as practicable, that the commissioners as a group are representative of the community in Northern Ireland.
	The composition of existing commissioners is taken into account when appointments are made, so that this obligation can be met.
	The Secretary of State has complied with this obligation in every appointment that has been made to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.

Peru: Forests

Lord Hanningfield: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Peru on their efforts to protect 80 per cent of Peru's primary forest; whether they intend to provide financial support for those efforts; and, if so, how much.

Lord Tunnicliffe: Joan Ruddock, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change, discussed forests with the Peruvian Environment Minister, Antonio Brack Egg, on 4 December. Peru is in discussion with the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) of the World Bank about support to protect forests. The UK has contributed £15 million to the FCPF, and £0.5 million has been committed for a regional economics of climate change study for South America which will include Peru.

Piracy

Lord Tebbit: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many prisoners were taken during the action by HMS Cumberland against pirates in the Gulf of Aden on 12 November; where those prisoners are detained; and in which jurisdiction it is intended they should stand trial.

Baroness Taylor of Bolton: HMS "Cumberland" detained eight suspected Somali pirates whom we believe had hijacked a Yemeni fishing vessel. All eight have been transferred to the Kenyan authorities where they will stand trial for piracy offences under Kenyan law.

Post Offices: Card Account

Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government to what extent holders of British Post Office accounts run by Bank of Ireland would be protected (a) if the Government of Ireland does not honour its guarantee of deposits in Irish banks; and (b) after the Government of Ireland guarantee expires in September 2010.

Lord Myners: The EC deposit-guarantee schemes directive (94/19/EC) sets the minimum terms on which depositors are protected throughout the European Union and European Economic Area. Some member states have introduced higher limits. The directive is in the course of being updated and is expected to introduce increased compensation limits by the end of December 2008. The precise terms are currently being finalised.

Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the reports and accounts for 2004-05 and 2005-06 of the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board were not laid before Parliament until 29 October 2008; and whether there is any penalty for such delay.

Lord Darzi of Denham: There was a delay in preparing the 2003-04 accounts. The accounts for the subsequent years could not be finalised until the 2003-04 accounts had been prepared and this delayed the presentation of these accounts.
	The 2006-07 and the 2007-08 accounts have been recently agreed by their external auditor and will be laid before Parliament after the Christmas Recess.

Prisoners: Mental Health

Lord Howie of Troon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what processes exist within prisons in England and Wales to ensure that offenders suffering from severe psychiatric disorders receive treatment appropriate to their condition.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to establishing a single budget for the treatment of offenders with severe psychiatric disorders.

Lord Darzi of Denham: There are 102 National Health Service mental health inreach teams in prisons providing NHS services, to which all prisons have access. Mental health treatment and care is delivered in prison, as is general health treatment (for example, for prisoners with diabetes or heart disease) unless urgent NHS treatment is needed, in which case prisoners are transferred to the NHS outside of the Prison Service.
	A person whose mental illness is too severe to justify their remaining in prison is transferred to NHS secure services. In 2007, 926 prisoners with severe mental illness were transferred to hospital, compared to 723 in 2002, an increase of 28 per cent.
	Commissioning responsibility for mental health care and treatment within the prison estate transferred fully to primary care trusts (PCTs) in 2006. All prison mental health services are now mainstreamed within the NHS.
	Funding is not ring-fenced for prison healthcare, and it is for each PCT to decide upon spending levels for specific healthcare treatments and services, including offender mental health, and to commission these services.

Prisoners: Mental Health

Lord Howie of Troon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the average number of days between diagnosis and transfer to hospital for prisoners in England and Wales suffering from severe mental illnesses in each year for which figures are available.

Lord Darzi of Denham: Information is not available in the requested format. The decision to transfer a prisoner to hospital is not based upon diagnosis of a severe mental illness, but on whether, in the opinion of two psychiatrists, the individual's mental health condition at the time warrants transfer.
	Data are available on the number of prisoners who have been waiting for more than 12 weeks for a transfer to hospital, on a quarterly basis from June 2003 to March 2008, and is shown in the table.
	
		
			 Number of prisoners with a severe mental illness, and who had been waiting longer than 12 weeks for transfer from prison to hospital, in England 2003-08 
			 Reporting Period Number of individuals waiting longer than 12 weeks for a transfer to hospital 
			 June 2003 58 
			 September 2003 39 
			 December 2003 39 
			 March 2004 40 
			 June 2004 49 
			 September 2004 36 
			 December 2004 51 
			 March 2005 51 
			 June 2005 62 
			 September 2005 58 
			 December 2005 40 
			 March 2006 43 
			 June 2006 44 
			 September 2006 43 
			 December 2006 38 
			 March 2007 44 
			 June 2007 46 
			 September 2007 51 
			 December 2007 41 
			 March 2008 25 
		
	
	Source: Offender Mental Health—Department of Health/Ministry of Justice

Prisoners: Offspring

Lord Chadlington: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children are living in prison as the offspring of female prisoners.

Lord Bach: As of 30 November 2008 there were 50 children living with their mothers in a mother and baby unit (MBU) within a women's prison. They may stay in an MBU until the age of 18 months (depending on the individual circumstances), although there is room for flexibility in the best interests of the child, which may mean a child staying in an MBU until two years of age. They are then gradually integrated into the care of approved family or carers in the community. This could include social services where no suitable carer exists.

Railways: Land

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether BRB (Residuary) Ltd consulted Somerset County Council about its proposal to sell land at Frome railway station; if so, how; and why, following the Council's expression of interest in purchasing that land for transport use, BRB (Residuary) Ltd did not proceed with negotiations.

Lord Adonis: The former east goods yard at Frome was released for sale to Network Rail in 2003 but in 2007, following protracted negotiations, it declined to purchase the site. A further consultation was carried out in 2007 and, following representations from Somerset County Council and Mendip District Council, BRB (Residuary) Ltd through its property review group agreed to a conditional release of the site to the local authorities.
	Following correspondence with Mendip Council, the council replied on 7 May 2008 confirming that neither it, nor Somerset County Council, was in a position to fund a purchase. In consequence the land was released for open market sale and sold in November 2008.
	Two other sites in Frome owned by the company have been released in recent years following consultation and sold on the open market. A third, part of the former west goods yard, has been retained for possible transport use.

Smoking: Cigarette Packets

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the increase in the Republic of Ireland of the minimum size of cigarette packs to reduce smoking uptake by young people; and what conclusions they draw from their assessment.

Lord Darzi of Denham: The department sought views on whether cigarette pack size should be increased in its recent consultation on the future of tobacco control. The department has considered the evidence and views of stakeholders on this issue, and has assessed that the public health benefits of such action remain unclear. The Government will keep tobacco packaging under close review into the future.

St Helena

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government (a) why the contract to build an airport on St Helena has not yet been awarded, (b) when they expect the contract to be awarded, and (c) when they expect the airport to open.

Lord Tunnicliffe: We announced on 8 December 2008 (Official Report, cols. WS 46-47) that there will be a pause in negotiations over the St Helena Airport contract. We anticipate that this pause will continue into the new year. This is to allow ongoing discussions, including on value for money of St Helena access options, particularly in light of the changed economic climate.

St Helena

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of how long the RMS St Helena can continue to provide a reliable service.

Lord Tunnicliffe: The operating life of the RMS "St Helena" could be extended for a varying number of years depending on the extent of refurbishment undertaken.

St Helena

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the detailed economic model, prepared by the Department for International Development, concerning future access options for St Helena concludes that it is in the best interests of the British taxpayer to build a publicly-funded airport at St Helena.

Lord Tunnicliffe: We announced on 8 December 2008 (Official Report, cols. WS 46-47) that there will be a pause in negotiations over the St Helena Airport contract. We anticipate that this pause will continue into the new year. This is to allow ongoing discussions, including on value for money of St Helena access options, particularly in light of the changed economic climate.

St Helena

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Department for International Development's economic model for access options for St Helena concludes that the building of an airport will reduce and eventually eliminate the need for budgetary aid from the United Kingdom Exchequer to the island.

Lord Tunnicliffe: We announced on 8 December 2008 (Official Report, cols. WS 46-47) that there will be a pause in negotiations over the St Helena Airport contract. We anticipate that this pause will continue into the new year. This is to allow ongoing discussions, including on value for money of St Helena access options, particularly in light of the changed economic climate.